环球英语 — 116：2008 - International Year of the Potat

　　Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight¹! I’m Liz Waid.
Voice 2
And I’m Joshua Leo. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
It all began in November, 2005. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations met together. This group works² to defeat hunger in every part of the world. At the meeting, the Permanent Representative of Peru proposed³ an idea. He wanted the world to know more about a special food. He believed this food could provide food security⁴ and help to stop poverty. He suggested that the United Nations devote a whole year to this amazing vegetable.
Voice 2
By December of that year, officials agreed to the Peru Representative’s request. The year 2008 would be a year devoted⁵ to ... potatoes! January 1 2008, marked the beginning of the International Year of the Potato. Have you noticed more potatoes this year than last year? The United Nations hopes that by the end of 2008, you will know more about how this special food can change the world.
Voice 1
Today’s Spotlight is on 2008 - the International Year of the Potato.
Voice 2
The potatoes we eat are a part of the root of the potato plant. These roots grow into the round shaped tubers we eat. There are thousands of different kinds of potatoes throughout the world. They come in many sizes, shapes and colours. Potatoes contain many good substances people’s bodies need to work. For example, potatoes are high in carbohydrates⁶. Carbohydrates provide the human body with energy.
Voice 1
The United Nations believes this simple food could change people’s lives around the world. How? Well, first, potatoes can grow in many places worldwide. Experts believe that people first ate potatoes about eight thousand [8,000] years ago. The food began in areas of South America. By the 1500’s, explorers there brought potatoes back to Europe. They spread quickly! And today, people grow potatoes in about one hundred [100] countries - including China and India. In fact, potatoes are the world’s fourth largest food crop. The United Nations estimates⁷ that in 2006, growers around the world produced almost three hundred fifteen million [315,000,000] tonnes of potatoes!
Voice 2
And experts believe potatoes are becoming a very important crop for developing countries. For many years, developed countries produced and used the largest crops of potatoes. But in 2005, for the first time, developing countries produced and used more potatoes than developed countries. Today, China is the largest potato producer.
Voice 1
Second, the UN believes potatoes are so important because potatoes can feed the hungry. Many people in the world do not get enough to eat. This can be especially true of people living outside cities. Lack of food leads to poor general health.
Voice 2
It can be difficult to get food to hungry people. The United Nations says that many hungry communities may have enough workers, but they may be poor or not have enough land to work on. But the potato is a perfect crop for these conditions!
Voice 1
We know that potatoes can grow in many different places. But potato plants are also able to succeed where other plants cannot. Potato plants grow quickly. They do not use a lot of land. And potato plants can grow in severe climates better than other crops can. Because of these things, experts believe that potatoes can help stop poverty in many communities.
Voice 2
Potatoes also produce more food than other crops do. The UN says eighty-five [85] percent of the potato plant is food that people can eat. Other crops do not produce that much. People can only eat about fifty [50] percent of grain crops. What remains⁸ is waste.
Voice 1
So, potatoes can grow many places worldwide. And they can feed the hungry. But they are also very healthy for people to eat! That is the third reason the UN wants people to know more about potatoes.
Voice 2
As we said before, potatoes are full of carbohydrates. This makes them a good source of energy. But they are also a good source of protein. People can eat many kinds of tubers, similar to potatoes. But potatoes have more protein than these other kinds of roots or tubers. Potatoes also contain vitamin C and potassium. These substances are also necessary for a healthy body.
Voice 1
Finally, the UN wants people to know more about potatoes because demand for these vegetables is growing! The UN has noticed a pattern in worldwide production of potatoes. In the last ten years world potato production has continued to increase. There seems to be no sign that this will change.
Voice 2
You can see why the United Nations would want to devote a year to this amazing food! Through the year 2008, the International Year of the Potato, or IYP, has set some goals. First, IYP wants to give people more information about potatoes.
Voice 1
Second, the IYP wants to show people how potatoes can reach the Millennium⁹ Development Goals. The United Nations created these goals to improve life for all people in the world. All the world’s countries have agreed to reach these goals by the year 2015. Particularly, the UN believes potatoes can help stop extreme poverty and hunger. This is one of the Millennium Development Goals. Another is to make sure the world’s environment stays safe. They believe potato plants are not damaging to the environment.
Voice 2
Finally, in the year 2008, the International Year of the Potato wants to encourage people everywhere to share information about potato production. There are many ways to grow plants better. IYP hopes that communities can share information like this. They hope that people can work together to feed the hungry. Everyone can benefit from this knowledge!
Voice 1
The IYP will celebrate the year of the potato in many different ways. They will organize activities that people in particular communities or worldwide can be involved in. Governments, Farmer Associations¹⁰, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and many others will also be involved.
Voice 2
At Spotlight, we will celebrate the IYP by bringing you more information about events and information about potatoes through the year. Keep listening to find out how people all over the world will be celebrating this year and thinking about the potato.
Voice 1
There is only one question left. How will you celebrate the International Year of the Potato?
 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

3 proposed   

被提议的

参考例句：

• There is widespread discontent among the staff at the proposed changes to pay and conditions. 员工对改变工资和工作环境的建议普遍不满。
• an outcry over the proposed change 对拟议的改革所发出的强烈抗议

4 security   

n.安全，安全感；防护措施；保证(金)，抵押(品)；债券，证券

参考例句：

• A security guard brought him down with a flying tackle.一名保安人员飞身把他抱倒。
• There was tight security at the airport when the President's plane landed.总统的专机降落时，机场的保安措施很严密。

5 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

6 carbohydrates   

n.碳水化合物，糖类( carbohydrate的名词复数 )；淀粉质或糖类食物

参考例句：

• The plant uses the carbohydrates to make cellulose. 植物用碳水化合物制造纤维素。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All carbohydrates originate from plants. 所有的碳水化合物均来自植物。 来自辞典例句

7 estimates   

估计

参考例句：

• Unofficial estimates put the figure at over two million. 非官方的估计数字为200万以上。
• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

9 millennium   

n.一千年，千禧年；太平盛世

参考例句：

• The whole world was counting down to the new millennium.全世界都在倒计时迎接新千年的到来。
• We waited as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the old millennium.我们静候着时钟滴答走过千年的最后几秒钟。

10 associations   

n.协会( association的名词复数 )；联合；联系；（思想、感觉、记忆等的）联想

参考例句：

• Do you belong to any professional or trade associations? 你参加了专业学会或行业协会没有？
• Colleges may be accredited by regional associations. 学会是否合格可由地区各协会作出鉴定。 来自《简明英汉词典》